Too often, people want their saints to be quiet, demure, kind all the time, obliging, simple, like the stereotype of a 19th century woman.
On this blog, I have highlighted the great female and male Doctors of the Church. Almost to a man and to a woman, this saints were outspoken, tough, criticizers of the culture and correctors of sin.
Few were quiet. Few were silent. All exhibited heroic virtue and courage. Teresa of Avila, Bernard of Clairvaux, and Lawrence of Brindisi are some known for strong characters. I shall continue to review the Doctors of the Church series when I have time by re-posting these. But, many posts may be found on the labels and through the tags which show the outspoken heroes of the entire 2000 plus year history of the Church.
Why do we want out saints to be those who never cause waves? Why do we always point to the long-suffering person, who never stands in front of an abortion clinic with a sign or rosary? Yes, that person who is quiet and demure can be a saint, but so can others who are louder, more obvious. Why do we want saints who never stand in the market place and proclaim the Truth? Why do we want namby-pamby saints?
In the Age of the Martyrs, no one can be namby-pamby.
One thing stands in the way of holiness in the public square; pride, and the connected sin, vainglory.
We want to be liked; we want the approval of the pagans, including members of our families.
It is because we do not accept personal correction, either. It is because of the sin of Pride.
Pride causes people not to want to hear themselves contradicted or corrected. Pride causes people not to want to enter into conflict, or bring up contentious subjects, like contraception or abortion or same-sex marriage. I know people who refuse any type of input or correction, even about trivial things. They just do not want to be told anything.
The saints of the past would not be quiet in 2014.
St. Pio of Pietrelcina, a saint from his youth, was known for his outspokenness.
Years ago, I met someone who knew him personally, a good friend of his. She talked about him. She has passed on, now.
He would not hear confessions of women wearing trousers. He was making a point that women should be dressed in a feminine manner. He is still criticized for this view and for his comments.
St. Pio could "read souls".
And, one day, a woman dressed very well, came to him for confession. As she entered the room, St. Pio left the confessional box, and yelled across the room to her, in this room full of people. "I am not hearing your confession until you repent. Your son is in hell because of you. Go away and repent!" (paraphrased)
Those in the room were shocked, but St. Pio had one thing in mind-the salvation of this soul.
Are we too afraid to save souls? Are we too polite to say to family members or friends that the serious sins of homosexual activity, or adultery, or contraception may bring them to perdition?
Only a saint who has faced the great sins in his or her life can do this, of course. But, we must be "difficult" sometimes.
Souls are at stake. People do go to hell for all eternity. I would not want to be standing before Christ at my particular judgement and hear that I did not love my brothers and sisters enough to tell them the Truth.
I want to be a saint.
http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/2013/12/are-saints-difficult-people.html
